Today was an absolutely spectacular day for cycling. Mid 70's, a few clouds and a light breeze. The route was almost all on rural county roads, thru rolling hills and almost no traffic. Everyone was in a great mood and the CRC in Delavan WI had a great lunch for us along the way. Most of us took our time to enjoy the countryside and stop in all the small towns along the way. We all ended the day in a great frame of mind.
Tuesday August 12: 133 km. 77 F mostly cloudy. Woodstock Illinois to Palos Heights Illinois
Today's ride was with mixed feelings, as it was my 30th wedding anniversary, spend alone out here doing what I love, but without Elaine. I'm looking forward to being home next Friday and being able to spend the weekend together. We rode into the northwest suburbs of Chicago on the Fox River Trail, a 60 km bike path. From then on it was on city streets with all the traffic to Trinity College in Palos Heights Il., where we spent the night. Thank goodness we don't have to ride in amongst all that heavy traffic all the time!
Cycling into Chicago on the Fox River Trail
Overwhelming a coffee shop along the way.
Riverboat casino in Elgin IL.
This windmill in a forest preserve outside of Batavia IL was shipped from the Netherlands around 1900 and used for grinding grain. It has recently been restored to working order and on Saturdays the sails are installed, and you can actually buy some of the flour it produces.
Today was a nice leisurely ride thru the southern outskirts of Chicago to northwestern Indiana. Much of our ride was thru forest preserves, green spaces that abound in the Chicagoland area. We had two different CRC churches serve us up refreshments and lunch, one in Chicago Heights IL. and the other in Highland IN. We began the day with a send off service at Trinity College where we spent the night. We ended the day at Indiana Dunes State Park. Part of our ride was on the 16 km. long Prairie Dunes Trail, a trail I have ridden many times in the past few years.
Breakfast at the Ritz. Well....... not quite!
Send off at Trinity College in Palos Heights IL
Sign along the route at Bethel CRC in Chicago Heights IL
Camping at Indiana Dunes State Park.
Thursday August 14: 126 km. 79 F mostly sunny. Chesterton Indiana to South Haven Michigan.
The day started out overcast and very humid, but by 10 AM the sun came out and it was a beautiful day in the upper 70's for remainder of the day. We travelled into Michigan along the shore of Lake Michigan thru vacation country all day. It was a great day for cycling thru some very nice little towns and resort areas. We are spending the night in South Haven, a beautiful harbour town, lots of boats and vacationers.
One more state closer to the end.
The harbour at South Haven MI.
Friday August 15: 88 km. 73 F sunny. South Haven Michigan to Grand Haven Michigan
Another in a series of spectacular days for cycling. Mid 70's, sunny and moderate winds. We biked along the shore of Lake Michigan thru picturesque resort towns and forested terrain. It was a leisurely ride all day as we had only about 80 km to do. In the morning we stopped in Saugatuck MI at an outdoor cafe for quite some time, watching the tourists and boats go by. There was a very interesting stop at Graafschap CRC, just outside of Holland MI. This is an absolutely beautiful church building and is the site of the very first CRC, a log building that was built in 1847, ten years before the founding of the Christian Reformed denomination. A restored replica now stands on the grounds of this church. In the basement of the current church is a museum dedicated to the history of the CRC church. I would strongly recommend any CRC members who find themselves in the Holland MI area to check this museum out. They have done a beautiful job at chronicling the entire history of the Christian Reformed denomination. This evening we are camped at the CRC conference grounds, a retreat and campground on the shores of Lake Michigan in Grand Haven MI.
Graafschap MI Christian Reformed Church
An exact replica of the first Christian Christian Reformed Church built in 1847, in Graafschaap MI.
Museum dedicated to the history of the Christian Reformed Church at the current Graafschap CRC
Saturday August 16: 77 km. 80 F sunny. Grand Haven Michigan to Grand Rapids Michigan
Another short ride, this time into Calvin College in Grand Rapids MI where we will be spending the weekend. We gathered a mile or short of the campus and rode in together en mass. The morning was chilly, about 50 F at 7 AM, and for the first time on the tour, I wore a jacket while cycling. It quickly warmed up to the mid 70's making for another pleasant ride. There were numerous stops along the way at CRC churches, where we ate altogether too much food, which was served up at every stop.
Christian Reformed Conferenc Grounds at Grand Haven MI where we started out this morning.
Mass ride in to Calvin College in Grand Rapids MI.
Sunday August 17: Grand Rapids Michigan
The weekend was spent at Calvin College camped out on one of their spacious lawns. A celebration service was held Sunday afternoon at a local baseball field. A very moving event with about 5,000 people in attendance. The weather was perfect for the event, sunny and in the low 80's. Tomorrow we start with 50 additional cyclists joining for the remainder of the ride to New Jersey. That will give us almost 200 riders for the last two weeks.
Sea to Sea cyclists entering stadium.
Lined up on the infield.
Part of the crowd in attendance.
5 comments:
hey brother
Greetings from a cool and somewhate grey Bay of Fundy. I'm working in my upstairs office watching a fishing boat cross the horizon and am struck by what an amazing world we live in. If you collected all the summer stories from our family members alone, we'd have quite an interesting travelogue! But, I'd have to say you win the prize 'hands down' for the most interesting trek:) All the best for your journey today. Love Nell
Hey Dick,
Just wanted to wish you a happy anniversary. Elaine told me she missed your call this morning, so I hope that you get another chance tonight. See you next week here at Redeemer!
Sylvia
Hi Dick, I tried sending you a comment last night and it didn't work so I'll try it again. Jerry and I wanted to wish you and Elaine a Happy 30th Anniversary yet. It is a special day and even if you couldn't be together, I hope it was a day of happy memories. We had celebrated our 30th last month, it's amazing where the time has gone. Just like your ride, you're already on the homeward stretch. We can see by the photos and your notes that it has been an amazing ride. We continue to pray for your safety and hope to see you on the 22nd at Jerseyville Rd. Adious Buckeroo!! Jerijo
Thanks everyone for all the best wishes on our thirtieth anniversary. If there has been a downside of the tour, it has been spending that day so far apart. Our time together will come soon enough, though.
Dirk
Hi Dirk
I was lucky to be able to sit with you for supper yesterday. It was great to get to know you a little. I did not know that it is your anniversary today but I would like to send you best wishes!
If Saturday is the 16th then Sunday cannot be the same date.
Check it out.
Look forward to seeing you later this week again and maybe get to meet your wife. Siska DeVries
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